The Boston University Student Government passed a referendum bill Monday allowing students to vote on three questions regarding University disclosure, divestment and reinvestment of funds to companies involved in Middle Eastern conflicts after pro-Israel and pro-Palestine students discussed the bill’s language and impact.
The referendum bill, offered by BU Students for Justice in Palestine, was passed Monday night after StuGov members voted on motions to amend the language.
Voting on the bill will open Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
BU SJP members spoke about the potential impacts of the bill on Palestine and the student body. They said students deserve to know about the University’s investments and decide if their tuition money is allocated toward those investments.
“We, as students, want to know what our money is going towards,” said junior Axel Blumberg. “It was so important that so many people showed up today on both sides. I guess it’s good to have an open discussion.”
Blumberg is not a member of BU SJP but attended because it is “kind of scary that so much of these investments are undisclosed.” He said he has been vocal about Palestine for several years and hopes the bill will drive the University to make a statement.
BU Hillel emailed an open letter to students before the Monday meeting, written by BUSI Co-Presidents Guy Starr and Dana Mansori. The statement expresses concern over the bill, saying it singles out Israel and fails to mention the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023.
The statement states the bill risks violating the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
“Last year, the BU Student Government adopted the IHRA definition and now is ignoring it,” the statement says. “The only purpose this bill serves is to create tension and hostility toward Jewish students on campus — which is already a major problem.”
StuGov President Akwasi Antwi opened the meeting and said the meeting would be a forum with lively discussion, and hate of any kind would not be tolerated.
During the open discussion, pro-Palestine and pro-Israel students joined StuGov to discuss the bill’s language, such as repeated mentions of the phrase “human rights violations” and the word “Israel.”
Some attendees said the bill should call for disclosure of all University investments, not just those to companies involved in the Middle East.
“By focusing on one thing, we are marginalizing and creating an environment that forces Jews on campus, such as myself and many here, to feel uncomfortable and feel attacked in a way because it’s going after a specific group,” one senator said.
Starr, also a StuGov senator, said the language of the bill’s second and third questions “turned the purpose away to focusing on demonizing Israel and focusing on Israel as a whole.”
Star said he didn’t think the last two questions were necessary if the stated purpose of the bill was to inform students where their money is going.
Following the discussion, StuGov members amended the bill’s language, and the amendments were voted on by the majority of the elected students, Antwi said.
Blumberg said he thought the amendments to the bill were “fair” but that “more specificity is better than less,” so he preferred the bill’s original wording.
Antwi said StuGov will be in communication with students concerned about the bill and is open to criticism.
“Student Government is always going to be a resource for all students, regardless of whether or not we vote for what they want,” Antwi said.
Tavishi Chattopadhyay contributed reporting.